The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, No. 17 of 1987 requires that all practitioners, including students and volunteers, must be registered with the MCM before commencing any form of work in Malawi. Registration and licensing serve to protect the public and uphold professional standards within the healthcare sector.

Our registration and licensing process is designed to verify that practitioners are qualified, competent, and possess the necessary character to practice safely and effectively in Malawi.

Registration Process

The registration process involves:

1. Credentialing: Conducting primary source verification of academic and professional qualifications.
2. Verification of registration and licensing history: Reviewing previous professional registrations and licenses.
3. Certificate of Good Standing and current registration status: Confirming the practitioner’s standing with previous regulatory authorities.
4. Identity verification: Confirming the authenticity of the applicant’s identity.
5. Verification of other requirements: Ensuring compliance with other applicable regulations.

Types of Registers

1. Student Register: For students enrolled in accredited health-related programs at Council-approved training institutions in Malawi.
2. Internship Register: For practitioners undergoing supervised training after completing an accredited health training program, prior to full registration. Examinations are required for those trained outside of Malawi.
3. Provisional Register: For practitioners undergoing an orientation period, allowing supervised practice at an MCM-designated facility. Orientation periods range from 6 weeks to 6 months.
4. Temporary Register: For qualified practitioners who, after completing orientation, intend to practice in Malawi for a period not exceeding 12 months.
5. Permanent Register:
   1. For locally trained practitioners who have successfully completed an internship.
   2. For foreign-trained Malawian citizens who have successfully completed an internship.
   3. For non-Malawian practitioners who have successfully completed orientation and intend to practice in Malawi for longer than 2 years.
6. Certificate of Good Standing: An official document issued by a regulator attesting to a practitioner’s fitness to practice.
7. Medical Camp Register: For practitioners who are approved to practice during authorised medical camps, following compliance with registration requirements.
8. Private Practice License: A license allowing a practitioner to engage in private practice independently or to be employed either full-time or part-time.
9. Premises License: Authorisation for premises designated for medical, dental, or allied health practice.

Requirements for Registration

For detailed information on the registration requirements, please refer to the documents available at the links below:

• Registration Application Form [Insert link]
• Revised Registration Application Form [Insert link]
• Application Procedure for Registration of Non-Malawian Practitioners [Insert link]
• Registration Procedures for Practitioners with Locally Obtained Qualifications [Insert link]
• Medical Camp Application Process and Guidelines [Insert link]
• Compliance and Inspection

Our Compliance function is responsible for inspecting healthcare facilities and training institutions to ensure adherence to required healthcare standards, thereby safeguarding patient safety. These inspections assess equipment and supplies, human resources, practitioner conduct, governance structures, and the overall quality of services provided. All inspections are conducted using standardised checklists developed from relevant regulations and policies to maintain consistency and objectivity.

We conduct the following types of inspections:

• Initial Inspection: Conducted on new healthcare facilities and training institutions to determine their eligibility for licensure.
• Routine Inspection: Conducted on already licensed healthcare facilities and training institutions to ensure that standards are continuously maintained.
• Illegal (Ad Hoc) Inspection: Conducted on facilities alleged to be operating without registration.
• Investigative Inspection: Conducted in response to allegations of non-adherence to required standards, aimed at verifying the validity of such claims.

Copies of the relevant checklists, regulations, and the governing Act can be downloaded from the link below. [Insert link]

[Images of some of the inspected health facilities, training institutions may be included here]

• Disciplinary

All practitioners registered with the MCM are required to uphold the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct. However, in the course of seeking services from these MCM-regulated practitioners, errors may occasionally occur. While not all errors result from negligence, incompetence, or unethical behaviour, some may reflect serious breaches of professional standards.

If a patient, guardian, or their representative experiences misconduct by an MCM-registered practitioner, they are entitled, and encouraged, to lodge a complaint with the Council. Complaints may relate to, but are not limited to, the following breaches:

• Practicing without registration
• Using an unregistered title or claiming a qualification not legitimately earned
• Issuing false or fraudulent medical or internship reports
• Engaging in improper or disgraceful conduct, such as drug abuse, rude behaviour towards patients, or physical assault of patients or colleagues
• Treating patients without obtaining informed consent
• Sharing patient information without authorisation
• Practising beyond one’s approved scope of practice
• Performing procedures beyond the level authorised for the facility
• Charging patients for services intended to be provided free of charge
• Disclosing patient information without proper consent

Upon receiving a complaint, the MCM will evaluate the matter, investigate where necessary, and, if warranted, conduct a disciplinary hearing. Final determinations are made by the Council following the disciplinary hearing. Practitioners, health facilities or training institutions found guilty of misconduct may be subject to penalties, the severity of which depends on the seriousness of the offence.

Following the conclusion of a case, feedback will be provided to the complainant, the practitioner, the relevant institutions, and, where applicable, the public, in accordance with the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act.

For more information, including the list of offences and corresponding penalties, please refer to the Regulations and Penalties on Disciplinary Processes for Healthcare Practitioners and Facilities found through the following link. [Insert link]

For MCM to ably process a complaint, adequate details about the incident and the main players are required. For example, details of what happened, the names of the practitioners involved, the health facility where the incident occurred and if possible, contact details. To lodge a complaint, please use the following link: [Insert link]

• Training and Education

The Medical Council exists to protect the public and provide regulatory oversight and guidance to the medical, dental, and allied health professions. One of MCM’s core mandates is the regulation of education and training for all registrable practitioners.

As part of this mandate, MCM reviews and

vets’ curricula and qualifications for health-related programs before their further approval by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) in Malawi.

Under Section 43 of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act No. 17 of 1987, the Council is empowered to approve the following:

1. Teaching hospitals
2. Medical, dental and allied health schools
3. Basic education curricula
4. Postgraduate education programs
5. Basic qualifications for registration as a practitioner
6. Registration of practitioners with approved postgraduate qualifications
7. Any other training-related matters within the Council’s jurisdiction under the MPD Act.

The Council does not register or license practitioners whose training programs have not been vetted and approved by MCM.

Application and Approval Process

Training institutions must formally apply to MCM by submitting an application letter to the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer. MCM will then provide the institution with the minimum requirements and guidelines relevant to the proposed level of training. The university or college is required to develop and submit the curriculum and related documentation to MCM for review.

The vetting process is conducted by the Training and Education Committee, with final approval granted by the full Council. Feedback is then communicated to the institution. Only upon receiving formal approval from MCM may the institution begin recruiting students. Approved programs are currently provided with registration certificates.

Following approval, MCM conducts an initial inspection of the institution as part of its compliance mandate.

Further guidance is available in the following documents:

• MCM SOPs for Approving Curriculums [Insert link]
• MCM Undergraduate Curriculum Standards [Insert link]
• MCM Undergraduate Assessment Checklist [Insert link]
• MCM Postgraduate Curriculum Standards [Insert link]
• MCM Postgraduate Assessment Checklist [Insert link]
• Initial Inspection Checklist for Training [Insert link]
• Internship

The Medical Council of Malawi regulates internship training for all professions under its mandate and administers pre-internship examinations for practitioners trained outside Malawi in order to protect the public and guide the professions.

Under Section 17(1) of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act, MCM is empowered to maintain a register of interns and vocational trainees. Additionally, Section 26 stipulates that a person is eligible for registration as a practitioner only if they hold an approved qualification and have completed a minimum of one year of internship in a Council-approved institution, as prescribed by MCM.

Accordingly, for professions where an internship is a requirement, MCM will register a practitioner on the permanent register only after the individual has:

• Successfully completed an approved internship program,
• Met all internship requirements, and
• Demonstrated good moral character and fitness to practice.

MCM is also responsible for inspecting and approving internship sites, as empowered by the Act. Internship training is permitted only at facilities accredited by MCM. Internship site accreditation is subject to regular inspections and must meet the MCM’s established standards and criteria.

The MCM requires that the internship be a structured, supervised, and progressive training period, designed to build competence and confidence in newly qualified practitioners. This training is conducted in collaboration with approved internship sites and the Ministry of Health to ensure that interns are adequately prepared for full registration and independent practice.

For further details, please refer to the following documents:

• Internship Guidelines [Insert link]
• Pre-Internship Examination Policy [Insert link]
• Continuous Professional Development

The MCM introduced and rolled out the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme in 2008 across all healthcare facilities and institutions of higher learning in Malawi, targeting all MCM registrable practitioners. CPD is a cornerstone of professional practice in healthcare. It empowers practitioners to sustain clinical competence, apply the latest evidence-based knowledge, adapt to evolving care standards, pursue career advancement, uphold ethical and regulatory obligations, and maintain professional confidence and motivation.

The MCM is mandated to oversee the implementation of CPD across the country. CPD is a mandatory requirement for all MCM registered practitioners. Accredited CPD providers are responsible for delivering approved CPD activities to practitioners, while employers are expected to create a supportive and enabling environment for CPD participation. Each practitioner must attain the minimum required CPD points annually to maintain their registration. MCM also monitors CPD activities to ensure that accredited institutions adhere to established standards and regulatory requirements.

MCM’s Responsibilities on CPD include:

• Assessing, accrediting, and registering institutions to provide CPD.
• Ensuring that CPD programmes are easily accessible to all registered practitioners.
• Ensuring that accredited centres establish and maintain functional CPD subcommittees.
• Ensuring that accredited centres develop and maintain a CPD Programme of Events.
• Ensuring that accredited centres submit regular CPD reports to MCM.
• Monitoring CPD activities to ensure adherence to minimum standards and requirements.
• Verifying that healthcare personnel registered with MCM are properly documenting their CPD activities.

For more information, please click the link below to access the CPD Guidelines and the List of Accredited Centres in Malawi. [Insert link]